Myrciamyia pterandrae (Diptera,Cecidomyiidae, Lopesiini), a new species of gall midge associated with Pterandra pyroidea A. Juss. (Malpighiaceae), an endemic plant in Brazilian Cerrado

Myrciamyia pterandrae (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), a new galling species associated with Pterandra pyroidea (Fabaceae), an endemic plant species in Brazilian Cerrado, is described based on larva, pupa, male and female. M. pterandrae galls were collected in the municipality of Quartel de São João, State of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Larvae were removed from the galls and pupae, and adults were obtained by rearing. The specimens were mounted on slides, and the diagnostic morphological characters were illustrated. M. pterandrae is compared to Myrciamyia maricaensis Maia, 1996 the unique, previously known species of the genus.     

An evaluation of multidrug-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> isolates in urinary tract infections from Aguascalientes,Mexico: cross-sectional study

Background

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are one of the main bacteria causing urinary tract infections (UTIs). The rates of UPEC with high resistance towards antibiotics and multidrug-resistant bacteria have increased dramatically in recent years and could difficult the treatment.

Methods

The aim of the study was to determine multidrug-resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance profile, virulence traits, and genetic background of 110 E. coli isolated from community (79 isolates) and hospital-acquired (31 isolates) urinary tract infections. The plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes presence was also investigated. A subset of 18 isolates with a quinolone-resistance phenotype was examined for common virulence genes encoded in diarrheagenic and extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli by a specific E. coli microarray.

Results

Female children were the group most affected by UTIs, which were mainly community-acquired. Resistance to trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, and ampicillin–sulbactam was most prevalent. A frequent occurrence of resistance toward ciprofloxacin (47.3%), levofloxacin (43.6%) and cephalosporins (27.6%) was observed. In addition, 63% of the strains were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Almost all the fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant strains showed MDR-phenotype. Isolates from male patients were associated to FQ-resistant and MDR-phenotype. Moreover, hospital-acquired infections were correlated to third generation cephalosporin and nitrofurantoin resistance and the presence of kpsMTII gene. Overall, fimH (71.8%) and fyuA (68.2%), had the highest prevalence as virulence genes among isolates. However, the profile of virulence genes displayed a great diversity, which included the presence of genes related to diarrheagenic E. coli. Out of 110 isolates, 25 isolates (22.7%) were positive to qnrA, 23 (20.9%) to qnrB, 7 (6.4%) to qnrS1, 7 (6.4%) to aac(6′)lb-cr, 5 (4.5%) to qnrD, and 1 (0.9%) to qnrC genes. A total of 12.7% of the isolates harbored bla_CTX-M genes, with bla_CTX-M-15 being the most prevalent.

Conclusions

Urinary tract infection due to E. coli may be difficult to treat empirically due to high resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Continuous surveillance of multidrug resistant organisms and patterns of drug resistance are needed in order to prevent treatment failure and reduce selective pressure. These findings may help choosing more suitable treatments of UTI patients in this region of Mexico.

     

Essential Elements as Biomarkers of Acute Kidney Injury and Spontaneous Reversion

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an important health problem and can be caused by number of factors. The use of aminoglycosides, such as gentamicin, is one of these factors. Recently, an effort has been made to find biomarkers to guide treatment protocols. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was used to estimate the contents of Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn in serum and urine of the healthy, AKI, and spontaneous recovery (SR) groups of animals. The animal model of AKI and SR was validated by measuring serum and urinary urea and creatinine. The quantitative determination of the elements showed a decrease in serum levels of Ca, and Fe in the AKI group (P<0.01 vs. healthy), with a return to normal levels in the SR group, without a significant difference between the healthy and SR groups. In the urine samples, there was a decrease in P and Na levels in the AKI group (P<0.001 and P<0.01 vs. healthy), but Ca levels were increased in this group compared with the healthy and SR groups (P<0.01). These findings indicate that mineral elements might be useful as biomarkers for AKI.     

Applied Psychophysiology and Learned Physiological Regulation

This commentary emphasizes the importance of including animal research and basic human research, contrasts the present state of affairs for biofeedback in the United States versus Europe, and proposes an alternative, more expanded definition of applied psychophysiology, which includes research, diagnostics, and education, as well as interventions.     

The first species of Hapalodectes (Mesonychia,Mammalia) from the middle Paleocene of China (Qianshan Basin,Anhui Province) sheds light on the initial radiation of hapalodectids

A lower jaw of the mesonychian Hapalodectes is reported from Nongshanian sediments (Upper Doumu Formation; middle Paleocene) of the Qianshan Basin (Anhui Province, China). The fragmentary mandible is only the third specimen of Hapalodectidae discovered in Paleocene deposits, and the first in south east China; it is moreover the oldest, the two other specimens having been found in Gashatan (late Paleocene) localities. The premolars and molars of the new fossil are morphologically similar to Hapalodectes dux (late Paleocene of Mongolia), which has been considered to be the most primitive hapalodectid, but their relative proportions recall H. paleocenus and the Eocene Hapalodectes species. As a result, the fossil described herein appears to be different from the other previously described species of Hapalodectes in being morphologically intermediate between H. dux and the other Hapalodectes species, notably the Bumbanian Hapalodectes hetangensis and H. huanghaiensis from China; it is thus identified as a new species, Hapalodectes lopatini (possibly a male individual). Its discovery is important because it sheds light on the initial radiation of hapalodectids. The presence of one primitive hapalodectid in Mongolia previously suggested the Mongolian Plateau as the centre of origination of this carnivorous family, but the discovery of H. lopatini in older sediments from south‐east China challenges this hypothesis. In the earliest Eocene, Hapalodectes dispersed from Asia to North America; this event being part of the ‘East of Eden’ dispersals. This event resulted in the geographical separation of two distinct Hapalodectes groups, in North America and south‐eastern China respectively.     

Cytologic and cytometric analysis of oral mucosa in Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVE: To analyze cytomorphologically the buccal mucosa of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). STUDY DESIGN: Brush biopsies were obtained from 10 patients with AD and 9 age-matched controls without neurologic symptoms from 3 distinct oral sites. RESULTS: A significant reduction in partially keratinized intermediate (red) cells was observed in the buccal mucosa of the AD group. In the AD group, parabasal cells from the floor of the mouth (p = 0.017) and buccal mucosa (p = 0.058) and red cells,from the tongue dorsum (p = 0.013) and buccal mucosa (p = 0.002), exhibited significantly greater nuclear areas. With regard to the nuclear to cytoplasmic (N:C) ratio, intermediate (red) cells from the buccal mucosa and tongue dorsum of AD individuals showed a decrease in this parameter (p <0.0001), while superficial (yellow) cells (from buccal mucosa) (p= 0.042) and parabasal (blue) cells (from the tongue dorsum) (p = 0.003) exhibited an increased N:C ratio. No significant differences were detected in the cells from the floor of the mouth. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that cytologic and cytometric changes were detectable in the exfoliative cytology of the buccal mucosa and tongue in the AD group.     

Metabolic responses in iron deficient tomato plants

The effects of Fe deficiency on different metabolic processes were characterized in roots, xylem sap and leaves of tomato. The total organic acid pool increased significantly with Fe deficiency in xylem sap and leaves of tomato plants, whereas it did not change in roots. However, the composition of the pool changed with Fe deficiency, with major increases in citrate concentrations in roots (20-fold), leaves (2-fold) and xylem sap (17-fold). The activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, an enzyme leading to anaplerotic C fixation, increased 10-fold in root tip extracts with Fe deficiency, whereas no change was observed in leaf extracts. The activities of the organic acid synthesis-related enzymes malate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, fumarase and aconitase, as well as those of the enzymes lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate carboxylase, increased with Fe deficiency in root extracts, whereas only citrate synthase increased significantly with Fe deficiency in leaf extracts. These results suggest that the enhanced C fixation capacity in Fe-deficient tomato roots may result in producing citrate that could be used for Fe xylem transport. Total pyridine nucleotide pools did not change significantly with Fe deficiency in roots or leaves, although NAD(P)H/NAD(P) ratios were lower in Fe-deficient roots than in controls. Rates of O(2) consumption were similar in Fe-deficient and Fe-sufficient roots, but the capacity of the alternative oxidase pathway was decreased by Fe deficiency. Also, increases in Fe reductase activity with Fe deficiency were only 2-fold higher when measured in tomato root tips. These values are significantly lower than those found in other plant species, where Fe deficiency leads to larger increases in organic acid synthesis-related enzyme activities and flavin accumulation. These data support the hypothesis that the extent of activation of different metabolic pathways, including carbon fixation via PEPC, organic acid synthesis-related enzymes and oxygen consumption is different among species, and this could modulate the different levels of efficiency in Strategy I plants.